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CB Unauthorized Charges Review of SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corporation)
SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corporation)

SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corporation) review: Work From Home Scam/ Theft 8

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10:11 am EDT
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My name is Courtney and I recieved a letter in the mail after contacting SMC, assuming it was a good idea. I spoke to an SMC "representative" and we discussed different payment plans and memberships. I chose the silver membership which was 39.95 a month. I agreed. She then tried to sell me on everything else I could buy and I told her no. I was already late for work and was told that it wouldn't take long. I asked how long it would take and she told me it wouldn't take long. She took down my personal information and continued trying to get me to buy all these other additional things along with my membership. I again told her now and how I couldn't afford anything else. 10-15 minutes later she was still trying to sell me on buying more and noticing how late I was I decided last minute not to go through with it. I then told her that I wanted to think about it and give her a call with my decision later on. She then became impatient and even rude and told me this was the only time that I could pursue "so great an opprotunity". She even asked me if I wanted them to take the money out of my account automatically every month and I told her NO! I wish to control where my money is going before I give anyone authorization over my account. She continued to try to sell me and I for the final time said NO and that I didn't want to go through with the transaction. She continued to talk until I was cross-eyed and I said I didn't want to do it and hung up. Unfortunately, I'd already given them my account information, but like most honest people I assumed they were honest people as well. Dead wrong. Getting a bad feeling while at work, I called my bank and realized even AFTER I said NO, the woman has STILL taken the money out of my account! I then called my bank the next day and told them how SMC had stolen money from me. He then advised me to close my account and get a new account number and debit card. I took his advice and he arranged for me to recieve a new account. Well, I guess when they discovered they couldn't steal the money, they "canceled" my membership. I thought, fine. I shouldn't have to pay for a membership that I no longer have or even wanted in the first place, right? Well over the months they continued to send me statements about the "payments" I owe, but I refused to pay for something that had supposedly been canceled. I called them and was always put on hold for the longest time and the person I was able to speak to always transferred me to a ringing phone. No one ever answered. Several months down the road, I receieve a letter in the mail being told that SMC would perform legal action (lawsuit) if I didn't comply with my obligations to pay for my membership. I was also told in the letter to call the number immediately at the bottom of the page. I called and spoke to a man who told me to give him the number at the bottom of the letter. This man seemed very curt and downright rude as the connversation progressed. Possibly a high pressure sales person. After I gave him the county code number he then told me I owedSMC the $409.42 but they would settle for $299.00. He then asked me if I was willing to pay and I said no because I'm in between jobs at the moment and I can't afford the full price or the settlement. He then told me that since I couldn't settle it by the end of the week SMC was going to proceed with the lawsuit. I began to ask him another question and he hung up in my face. That was 3 weeks ago and I'm sure my "debt" has been handed over to a collection agency. I don't trust SMC and I will not hand over money and once again give them personal information so they can attack me with another bogus charge. I sent a letter back to the collection agency explained everything and how I'm being held responsible for charges I refused because the criminal act of theft had been performed. I want this matter investigated.

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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

8 comments
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Zachary Brown
, US
Apr 25, 2023 7:03 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My name is Zachary Brown/Zachary Johnson was my father median’s last name Johnson because of marriage to my mother, however I took interest in this e commerce business that indicated that you would be making money by allowing them to work for you SMC PERSONAL!🤷🏾 throughout the year and not seeing any progress in sales etc as the coaching team would contact you after you wanted answers as to why I’m seeing a progress in sales as advertised on television by spokesperson Tom Bosley and I thought hey🤷🏾 here’s a man that played on happy days with John Trov and Vinny and the other characters so I gave it a try and spent about 650 dollars or so and nevertheless didn’t hear back from anyone else and I called the company at the time and spoke to a representative of coaching sales staff etc and I was told that it had changed to some e commerce and never 👎🏾 gotten anything out of this fraudulent company and now I’m looking into a lawsuit that I seen taken place by others who also was taken advantage of

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Annie 409
, US
Mar 27, 2022 2:29 pm EDT

are these people still around ? I joined them also i still have all letters and stuff that I bought Is there a time period on suing them?

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BryanOliver
Tampa, US
Dec 05, 2021 8:04 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

you're all full of [censored].
I just reported my debit card lost, and my bank sent me a new card with a new number. end of problem. no fighter jet threats, no collection agency. they don't ask for your social security number, how are they going to file a suit. your comments are fraudulent

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Bobby Atkins
, US
Jul 26, 2021 1:36 pm EDT

Did business with these crooks back in 2001, one lady was a d**k head with me and I told her where they can take their pathetic company, stay far from these [censored]s, don't even give them a thin dime, even received threats from them saying they were going to send F-22 raptor fighter jets fully armed and to destroy me, my house and my family with one shot.

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Kelwynd
Mobile, US
Jan 17, 2012 5:43 pm EST

I am in the process of a lawsuit from them. I tried SMC.. BEFORE my 30 days were up I TOLD them to CANCEL my account... Yet month after month, they billed me & billed me! Now there filing a lawsuit against me! I have filed a complaint with the BBB & have hired an attorney... SMC is a complete & total SCAM! I received a letter demanding I pay 430.37 EVEN after I canceled & had to have my debit card canceled... I sent a letter in response disputing the bill. Low & behold they want to sue me...

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IcalledTHESEidiotsTOO
Oklahoma City, US
Apr 19, 2011 5:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i too was curious about how they worked.. i signed into the webpage to get the number to call... after telling the person I THOUGHT I was just going to call to hear a recording.. was not expecting to talk to a person, and I am NOT spending a dime today.. just looking into different part time opportunities to make money from home.. all they do is try try try to sell you on the idea of it working for you... when they would say your membership fee is only "xyz" i would say.. but then dont you have to pay your webhosting fee on TOP of that.. so really its 65 a month and after first month your hooked into a 11 month contract.. every month paying the 65.00.. and what about getting traffic to your website? doesnt that cost? all he had to say was how my "coach" would show me how to do that... but never said it was free... he mentioned "bulk mailing" and "email blasts" but as far as I know no one in the world does advertising for FREE.. so YOU KNOW those would be more costs. WHO wants a webpage that gets no traffic.. like having a store thats hidden behind so many bushes that no one knows its there and cant even see it as a choice to come visit. I finally had to tell the guy LOOK .. i have 6 bucks in the bank and my next few paydays are for buying supplies to repair my roof... so I REALLY dont have any money right now to work with.. i get paid and pay bills, put gas in the car, buy toilet paper and soap and am broke till next pay day... i live CHECK TO CHECK.. so i dont have 30.00 or 70.00 or more a month to just burn...and more to advertise so MAYBE i can sell some stuff to make that money back.. its just not enough of a guarantee that I will make money back.. HE STILL WANTED TO MAKE PLANS WITH ME TO PULL THE MONEY FROM A FUTURE PAYCHECK.. i told him i have to buy nails, and tar paper, and tar and more shingles... i dont have it now.. but maybe would be interested in the future... he finally "got" the fact that i have no intention of giving him a dime.. but only after i made him understand there is NO DIME TO GET from me... he gave me some quick okay well call us when your ready.. and hung up ... on to the next victim...

Its sad.. that you cannot just enjoy starting a little side job without getting attacked for all your money and never getting the satisfaction of reaping the rewards of getting income and watching your business grow and do better.. without vulchers constsantly pressuring you to buy more information to help you and buy more tools to use to get traffic to your site.. etc... push push push... I never gave any info or let them start and am glad after surfing web and finding this page and realizing their phone conversations were similar to the stuff I was getting from their high pressure sales "kid" .. sounded like some young kid on the phone..that has no clue what real money problems even are.. just makes a living creating them for others. DONT DO IT.. its not necessarily a scam.. I am sure they have products... but be ready to shell out hundreds before you see money coming back...

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Andy Marshall
Friendswood, US
Jan 21, 2010 4:15 pm EST

After registering on their website, I decided against pursuing any business with them because of the fees, there are places that will let you work at home or do odd jobs for free. I get calls today from a representative, and my mom answers them. She doesn't know what they are talking about, so she tells me to answer because they have been calling all day, and it's beginning to agitate her. I talk to the representative, and tell him that I declined to continue with the service because of the charges. He let out these near-eternal "Oooooooooh, Oh! Ooooooh, OK" noises that were actually a little hilarious. I proceeded to tell him that I was not interested in paying money and thanked him for his time and hung up. So, while I DID cut him off, it was as politely as possible, and with a very calm tone of voice. They call back a couple of times, I hang up every time. They call again, so my mom answers the phone. They start their whole spiel again, and my mom says, "Yes, but my son is interested in making money, not spending it. Please do not call here anymore, and please take me off of your list" Her tone was a lot angrier than mine, and she talks loudly, but she was also as polite as possible. The guy on the phone actually said, "### you!", and hung up. I have friends who work in a call center for a major entertainment company, and they never told anyone off in their line of work, ever. I've worked as a pizza delivery man, and as a retail associate, and no matter how little respect I got, or how stressful my job was, I never took it out on the customers. Even when my personal life is horrible, I still treat people with dignity at work. I can only imagine how terrible somebody's job, or life, must be to be telling people off like that while at work. I guess when your career is based on deceiving gullible people and milking them dry, you're not left with a lot of empathy for your fellow man. I can tell you from my personal experiences of nearly getting sucked into not one, but TWO, pyramid schemes, watch out for people who want you to pay ludicrous subscription fees and order massive quantities of expensive products. Watch out for people who can't explain their business without using pictures, especially when the general idea behind the process is still kind of vague after explanation. They are bamboozling you into suspending reason long enough to believe lies. Watch out for people who get real defensive or irritated when you accuse them of being a pyramid, it usually means they are. Watch out for people who emphasize recruitment of others, and lure you in with the idea that you'll have others working under you and you just rake in the cash. By the third time an "opportunity" like this came up again, I declined. It hurt my friend feeling a little, but I can only hope that he can see the lie for what it is in time. SMC would be the fourth, and hopefully the last, time that I've had to put up with this garbage, and to have the guy tell my mom, "### you.", and hang up on her, isn't exactly a selling point either.

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CourtneyGov2
Longview, US
Oct 06, 2009 11:53 am EDT

Thanks for the advice Maggie! I also sent a letter to the BBB, FTC and State Attorney General Office here in Texas, but I will also get on top of that as well. Thanks a lot!